#IF THERE IS STUFF YOU ARE WONDERING ABOUT THAT ISN'T INCLUDED IN THE LIST PLEASE JUST ASK

[drawingroomanguish]

Heyy I'm opening commissions here too.

More examples below:

Other examples of 30€ style:

Examples of 50€ style:

Examples of 90€ style:

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Doing Time 3

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, threats, age gap, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: you try to keep your brother safe in jail but put yourself in danger along the way.

Characters: con/ex-con!Steve Rogers

Note: I need the weekend to come so I can cum

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

"Things aren't too bad. Not since I got my ass kicked," Vaughn chortles. "Mighta knocked some sense into this thick skull at last."

"Hopefully," you agree. "Mom said--"

"I tried calling. She didn't pick up."

"Oh..."

"Why-- Why should I even bother?" His humour fades to hostility, "and why are you acting like you're my mother? When she does answer, she just calls me a fuck up. Like I don't fucking know."

"Vaughn," you hum, "please, I'm not trying to piss you off."

"But you are," he snarls. "Always gotta ruin a good time, don't ya?"

You frown. This is the Vaughn you don't know. The one with the anger like a grenade pin. One tug and it's over. You sit back and wait. Arguing only fuels the flames.

"You're the one person who's s'posed to believe in me and you're nagging me about mom," he snarls.

You look away guiltily. You wonder how he'd react if you told him about Steve. If you mentioned that the reason things 'aren't too bad' is because you did something just as stupid as him. Somehow, you don't think that him knowing you do dumb stuff too will help.

He tugs at his cuffs. The guards come forward. You say his name again.

"Vaughn, please--"

"Piss off! Yeah, you meat head, get me outta here," he turns his wrath on the guard. "Waste of my time."

"Please, I didn't-- I just--"

"I told you not to talk about it no more," he barks. He did. You didn't listen.

Your eyes well. You don't know what happened to him. Where did all this anger come from? As you watch the guards unhook him and he stomps away, you can only think you may have made a good decision talking to Steve. At least there's someone in there who can help. Or try to.

You wiggle your nose and dab your eyes with your knuckle. That was embarrassing as much as it was scary. The guard on the other side returns.

"We'll bring the next early, miss."

"Thanks," you nod. You recognise him. You realise most of the guards must know your face too. It's so strange to think this is a normal part of your life now. That this has become your social life as late.

It isn't long before Steve appears. He sits calmly lets himself be leashed. He leans forward and takes the receiver. You still have yours in hand but it's against the table. You lift it.

"Couldn't wait to see me, huh?" He purrs.

Your cheeks draw tight, "how are you?"

"Mm," he narrows his eyes as he looks you over. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, Steve," you swallow the dregs of your tears. "Really. It was an early morning."

He stares a little longer, the lines deepening in his forehead. His eyes meet yours. His aquamarine irises are speckled with gold and silver. He takes a breath and tuts.

"You were crying."

"No, Steve, it's nothing."

"That brat brother of yours," he nods as his expression turns dangerous.

"Please, Steve, not you too. Okay? It's... a sibling spat. That's all," you assure him. You wish you were as transparent as the window between you.

"I don't like that. I had family coming to see me, I'd be nice," he snarls.

"It's not your problem."

"That's where you're wrong, sweetheart. You made it my problem when you started coming around." He insists.

You chew your lip, "I know..."

"I'm not complaining, so you know," he leans back. "Kinda used to ya now."

"Thanks," you utter grimly and stare at the desk.

"Hey," he says and your eyes flick back up. "I didn't drag myself out here to see you mope."

You swallow and push away the rest of your chagrin, "sorry, I... better?"

"How can that face get any better?" He winks. You squirm.

He's been more forward lately. You assure yourself that it's just him playing with you. He's bored and you're the only person he talks to that isn't a guard or an inmate.

"That's... Right. Um, I guess it was dumb to ask how it's going," you scoff at yourself.

"It's going good, now I'm here," he runs his hand over his mouth, feeling his cheeks, "fresh shave this morning. Looking good, huh?"

You let your eyes focus. You can tell. His chiseled jaw is bare, not one speck of stubble. And his blond hair is parted and combed back. It's getting a bit long.

"You look refreshed."

"Well, I got something coming up later today."

"Another visitor?" You wonder.

"Lawyer," he shrugs. "No big thing. I got business on the outside still. Power of attorney or whatever."

"Mm," you hum.

"Boring stuff. What about you? Besides that idiot you call a brother, how's life?"

"It's life," you say. "Go to work, come home, sleep, it's all the same."

"Huh, sounds like being in here," he snorts. "Lonely?"

You don't realise at first, he's asking.

"I guess. Thought about getting a cat."

"Ah, you're young. Probably wait a few years before that," he chirps.

You tilt your head wryly, "no harm starting early."

"You're funny, sweetheart."

"Am I?" You wonder dryly.

"Well, the things they think are funny in here..." he makes a face. "You know, I wouldn't tell a lady all that, but it's low brow."

"Right."

"I'm still trying to figure you out, you know? Your brother, well, not to pile on top but he's not exactly a model citizen, but you, you're practical, considerate, you make stuffed chicken and pesto. I can't help but wonder how you're not adopted," he snickers.

"Life is strange."

"Isn't it? Never saw some girl knocking on my cell door but here we are," he drawls.

"Here we are," you agree. He smiles and bites his thumb. You shift as his eyes sparkle.

"I might never get outta of this place, but at least I can see a pretty face now and again," he growls.

Yep, at least he'll never get out. You just need to hope Vaughn doesn't get any time added and it will all be over soon. 

⛓️‍💥

It's the first night Steve doesn't call. You're a bit disturbed by how it seems to throw the whole evening off. It's not like you're friends. He's an obligation. You should be happy to have one less thing on your plate.

You take a long bath, your phone on the back of the toilet, the ringer set to chirp. But it doesn't. The soak isn't enough to ease your nerves.

If something happened to him, what about Vaughn? It's a selfish worry but you can't help it. How could that even happen? Steve has this invincibility about him. You just can't believe it.

You get out and dry yourself off slowly. You're achy from sitting on your ass all day. Admin work isn't very thrilling. You stretch and rub the cushion of your bottom, the muscles easing beneath the layer of padding. You've always had a bit extra. It never bothered you as much as it bothers men. Your brother used to beat up any guy he heard hurling insults at you.

It's not your biggest care in the world. You tend to eat those away. Your sweet tooth hardly helps.

You put on a night shirt and lay awake for a while. Even when you do sleep, it's not peaceful. You dream of iron bars and blood on the floor. You wake with a thumping in your temples.

You dress for work. Your stretch-waist grey pants and the silk blouse with roses on the collar. You pack your lunch and brew your coffee, honey and a dash of almond milk splashed in. You leave with your bag and thermos.

The traffic around the clinic is always clogged. You get in with two minutes to spare. You sit behind the window and the phone rings as soon as opening hour strikes. You're swept up in the demands of patients and doctors alike. One thing you can't complain for how quickly the days fly.

You eat your lunch in your car. You cherish the moments you're not surrounded by sniffling, coughing, and complaining. You head back in and finish the last half, yawning at the monitor.

It's even busier when you pull out into the street. You let the music flow into your ears and distract you. You tap the pedal as you slog along. Finally, you get to a side street and cut a zig zag across town. You pull up to your building and linger in your car.

You have this eerie feeling. You glance over at the unfamiliar car parked facing the brick. The sleek white muscle car is vintage and polished to a shine. Someone loves that thing.

You get out of your dusty Honda and snatch your bag from the passenger's seat. You tap your fob and enter through the side. You stop before the elevator and turn back. You should at least try to get a few steps in. You take the stairs.

You stare at your pointed flats as you drag your soles over the carpet. You smother a yawn behind your hand. A throat clears. You move over, thinking someone's coming your way. You stir in your bag for your keys. Your name brings your chin up.

You gasp and drop your keys. You teeter as you nearly spin and sprint away. Your bag slips and you barely catch the strap. You gape at Steve as he stands beside your door.

Silence wafts around you with the smell of cooking and laundry. He holds a bouquet of classic red roses. He sports a tailored suit in black that puts his prison uniform to shame. The collar is crisp and the tie perfectly knotted. His jawline is shaved and his hair is styled down to the strand.

"Hey, sweetheart," he greets with a smirk.

You wordlessly bend to pick up your keys then stand and fix your bag on your shoulder. Your eyes glaze in disbelief and horror. A million questions flurry to a storm of terror.

"How..."

"Appeal went through. They turned over my conviction," he struts away from the wall. "These are for you, sweetheart."

You look at the petals then at him as he comes close. Your shoulders sag as you shrink down at the breadth of his shadow. He's even bigger like that. You shudder, the lack of barrier unsettling.

"I got you speechless," he intones and grabs the strap of your bag. "Look like you had a long day, let me take a load off."

He takes your bag then guides your hand to the bouquet. You close your mouth and gulp. He sweeps away your keys and hooks his arm through yours. You let him lead you to the door of your apartment. He swings it open and you flinch.

"Wait, Steve, how did you-- how do you know where I live?" You quaver.

"Told you, I got friends on the outside. You don't think I'd leave you unprotected--"

"Wait, wait," you plead as you face him, untangling your arm from his. "How is this real? How are you here? How- Why-- You don't think--"

"I think I spent months talking to you and you spent the same time coming to me. It's not what I think, it's what I know," he insists. You choke.

If his conviction was flipped, maybe that means he isn't so bad. No, no, you heard of what he did in there. He's dangerous. Whether he did what the court said he didn't or not.

He waves you in, "come on, we can take it slow. We'll talk, like old times."

You shake your head but enter. You see no other choice. You're too stunned to think of any.

He follows and pulls the key free of the door before shutting it. He hangs them on the little hook beside the frame. He faces you as you focus on slipping off your flats. He puts your bag on the top of the small shelf where you store your mitts and whatnot.

He whistles, "you look... good. I mean, I never got the full angle." He steps back and you feel him raking you with his eyes. "Got a nice shape..."

"Steve," you snap and face him. "I... I never..." you pace yourself and take a breath. "The flowers are lovely, thank you. And I appreciate you coming by but I think there's a bit of a miscommunication." You turn and slowly inch away. You spin around as he watches you, his expression betraying nothing. "I only talked to you to keep Vaughn safe."

He sighs and his eyes narrow. His brows tilt slightly and his jaw squares. He nods and smooths the front of his jacket.

"Well, sweetheart, I went and got a new suit for you."

"I'm sorry--"

"No, get this," he strides forward and stops before you. "Whether it was for me, for you, or for that scum you call a brother, it happened and it's not over. You got me? I might be out but I got men inside. Men who are willing to do a lot worse than me," he snarls.

You shudder and he grabs your chin. You whimper. "I wanna be nice to you, sweetheart. That's all I've been dreaming of. I went out, got all dressed up, got you flowers, now you do me a favour, go put a dress on so I can take you out for dinner." He sniffs and squeezes just until your jaw throbs, "see, I'm still doing stuff for you. I'm not asking much except you to come out and look pretty."

He lets go and you stagger back. You sniffle and quickly hide your face. Your voice comes out hoarse, "I'll put these in water first."

Your heart races and you go into the kitchen. You find a vase and focus on filling it. You put the flowers in and toss the paper cone. He looms in the doorway.

"I'll find something to put on, okay?" Your voice cracks.

You cross the kitchen and he stays firmly in your path. He brings his knuckle up under your chin and forces your face up.

"Smile, sweetheart," he growls. "We're together. At last."

[bluepwnsu]

Xelzaz Version 1.13.0 - Third Anniversary Update is now live!

In celebration of three years of Xelzaz being released I am releasing Xelzaz version 1.13.0! The update's primary focus has been on minor tweaks and additions to allow for a more well rounded experience of Xelzaz. The update also features two whole new quests, from braving the frozen wastes of Skyrim looking for an elusive plant, to giving Xelzaz some shiny new upgraded armor! You may also learn more about Xelzaz's past and his interactions with House Telvanni. Special thanks to Lirinden and jwisser for lending their voices to the update, and of course as always northwindblue for their wonderful models! 

The update brings Xelzaz's unique line count to ~8350. Over 200 existing lines were revoiced, making the total amount of "fresh" lines ~450.

Also important to note: If updating to 1.13.0 while you are using the Sirenroot patch, please also update that to version 1.0.2 for compatibility with 1.13.0!

Xelzaz Version 1.13.0 - Third Anniversary Update

Bug Fixes

- Fixed the scripting on Roovi's alias, the old version of the script was made for an ObjectReference rather than a ReferenceAlias. This would cause the script not to function in certain instances.

- Marked all the objects placed in Honeystrand Cave that are part of "The Good Stuff" quest to not havok settle. Originally only the honey was marked as such, but apparently any objects nearby that do havok settle will cause a havok settling chain effect.

- Fixed some typos.

- Bigpig will now lose his essential status when relevant for the Volkihar Commentary.

- Changed Xelzaz recalling his daggers to only happen if the player isn't "sitting", rather than that they aren't using a base game enchanting table or grindstone. This means using custom enchanting tables or grindstones will no longer cause him to recall them while you are using them.

- Made it so that if Xelzaz is meant to be disabled, I.E. he left you at the gate, he will disable himself once again should he have been enabled.

- Completely reworked the item tracking scripts for the Mead quest and Crimson Nirnroot quest to prevent stack dumps.

Additions

- Added patchless compatibility with SunHelm for Xelzaz's food and drink.

- Xelzaz can now be asked for a small treat if he is in his 'sit down with a player' package.

- Added more combat lines.

- Added more greet lines.

- Added failsafe timers to Xelzaz's night walk, in case he would get stuck for some reason.

Spells

- Added 'Conjure Skeleton Champion' (from Necromantic Grimoire CC) to the list of spells you can teach Xelzaz. (Patchlessly)

- Added 'Conjure Skeleton Minion' (from Necromantic Grimoire CC) to the list of spells Xelzaz knows by default. (Patchlessly)

- Added 'Choking Grasp' (From Arcane Accessories CC) to the list of spells you can teach Xelzaz. (Patchlessly)

Quests

- Added a new quest to upgrade Xelzaz's armor, 'Quid Pro Quo'. To start this quest simply finish 'A Lawman's Ambition' and get 25+ disposition with Xelzaz.

- Added a new quest in a series of quests called 'Field Research'. To start this new quest revolving around a new unique plant, ask Xelzaz if there is anything he'd like to see in Skyrim.

Quest Commentary

- Added more lines to Xelzaz's Imperial Legion commentary. He now has commentary up to and including the Battle of Whiterun.

- Added more lines to Xelzaz's Blessings of Nature commentary.

- Added patchless compatibility with JaySerpa's 'House of Horrors - Quest Expansion' mod.

Changes

- Revoiced quite a few old lines

- Adjusted conditions for random greet lines for Xelzaz's interactions, Xelzaz and those he interacts with will now no longer exhaust all their comments about each other before giving their usual random hellos. (As for right now each hello has a 7% chance, this can in the future likely be tweaked for those followers who have more or less interactions with Xelzaz)

- Xelzaz's 'sit with player' package can no longer be active while he is waiting.

- Changed conditions for certain lines to make sure they only play in Skyrim.

- Adjusted the conditions for certain random idle lines.

- Xelzaz's guar is now killable after Xelzaz is dead.

Xelzaz Sirenroot 1.0.2

Only use with Xelzaz 1.13.0 or newer.

Bug Fixes

- Altered the catch up script slightly.

- Fixed Roovi conditions to be in line with core version 1.13.0.

[neveralarch]

hello! have you been watching me n dez's output rapidly explode with gai and kakashi fic? have you been wondering who the hell this man with the bowlcut is and why we have suddenly succumbed to the allure of white-haired anime man? did you somehow escape from the teen-years vortex of naruto because you had good taste or just weren't the right age? i'm here for you. @deadtrilobitesociety asked about a gai primer and i kinda went off the deep end by crowd-sourcing (asking dez) an amazing list of naruto to watch and then putting it under neat little headers for your enjoyment.

how do i watch this naruto stuff?

there's 500 million episodes of the anime so i'm gonna give you specific recs. confusingly, there's original naruto, naruto shippuden (picks up after a timeskip), and boruto, which we don't talk about. you can find a lot of it on netflix, tubi, and crunchyroll, depending on your country. it's an older anime, so you'll also have a lot of success on the pirating sites. for one of the below suggestions, i specify that you should go to naruto kai, a fan project which basically edits out all of the extra nonsense stuff that sometimes makes the show boring to watch. kai is soooo much snappier and really makes the old show i remember more enjoyable, so if you're interested in just actually watching naruto i would start there. google it and you'll find a reddit post with links (or message me and i'll link you)

i was a manga person as a kid but i'm more into watching cartoons now and also a lot of the gai backstory is mostly in the anime filler. read the manga if you care more about this naruto kid haha.

also - blanket warning for naruto being full of people dying, usually in battle but also by suicide and often in very bloody ways. this isn't an adult horror anime - it's for kids and teens - but gai and kakashi's backstories are essentially about being a child soldier in the middle of a war that decimated multiple generations. it's bleak! if you need specific warnings or want to know about a specific arc or episode, please reach out.

okay, noted. i want to know about gai!

gai....

maito gai/might guy is an elite-level ninja who specializes in physical combat. he's modeled on bruce lee! he's got a sick bowlcut and a formfitting green jumpsuit! he mentors a group of young ninja including a kid who looks exactly like him. and his greatest rival and man of destiny is hatake kakashi :)

to get his backstory in one episode, watch episode 419 of naruto shippuden

to learn about his bond with his student rock lee, watch episode 100 of original naruto

i want to know about kakashi!

oh yeah he's also cool

hatake kakashi is probably the greatest ninja of his generation. he's also a depressed burnout who's perpetually late and reads erotica all the time in public. all of his friends are dead except for gai and also a bunch of other people that he sometimes reluctantly acknowledges are also his friends. technically he's the mentor of the main characters in naruto, but really you get the sense that he's mostly focused on stopping them from dying or killing each other and any actual learning is incidental. he has a lot of dogs!

to get his backstory, watch episodes 119 and 120 of naruto shippuden

to see more about how he burned out and got involved with teaching mostly against his will, watch the arc starting with episode 344 of naruto shippuden. 344-348 are mostly about kakashi's childhood friend obito, and then 349-361 show in detail how all of kakashi's friends die and everything is terrible forever.

shippuden 360 has the most gai content, if you're just looking for that. also that's where things start looking up for kakashi haha

i want to know about this fucked up world they live in!

gai and kakashi live in konoha, which is a secret ninja village in the land of fire. during the wars between the different lands, it's essentially the home base of the army, but for most of the series they're technically in peace time so instead they're doing protection missions, assassinations, and other ninja stuff. you definitely shouldn't be worried about how kids start on this career when they're six or seven!

this doesn't have any gai in it, but you should watch the Zabuza/bridge builder arc if you want more of the general naruto experience. this is definitely the one i remember best from reading as a kid, and it comes early on in the series so there's a lot of scene setting. might also make you cry if you're a wuss like me but it's worth it.

zabuza/bridge builder arc starts at minute 11 of Naruto Kai episode 2. dez says def don't try to watch this one in the original anime cut because it's badly paced but it's GOOD in kai

i just want. shenanigans. please give me the gai and kakashi shenanigans.

yes please they're SO silly with each other ;-;

watch naruto shippuden episode 18 for a sense of the extreme differences between gai and kakashi's teams lmao

watch episode 219 of naruto shippuden, where kakashi is angsting about whether to step up as konoha's leader so gai challenges him to a race that the animators so clearly had a blast making. also they touch butts.

watch episode 241 of naruto shippuden, where gai accidentally send an SOS to kakashi and kakashi drops everything to rescue him and then gets accused of being an imposter or possibly a mirage instead

okay but actually i want the sick fight animations

gaara vs rock lee is a classic and has some GOOD gai moments. it's episodes 48 and 49 of original naruto

kakashi vs obito is INTENSE especially if you've seen the kakashi backstory. watch naruto shippuden 375, sorry about the sasuke nonsense at the start. i didn't talk about sasuke at all because we don't care about him

gai reaching his ultimate form is one of the coolest things in the series imo. starts at the end of shippuden 417 and continues through 418-421 (crossing through the Gai backstory in 419)

nev you and dez have written almost two HUNDRED and fifty THOUSAND words of naruto fanfiction in the last twelve months. where on earth should i start

look, i know. i know. here's like… four fics. fourish. all of these are on ao3, under neveralarch or desdemonakaylose, sorry that tumblr hates links

my fic Stand Me Up at the Gates of Hell was my first and probably greatest take at rival competitive sex nonsense. (explicit fic)

our series A Man Like You looks at what kakashi and gai would look like if they'd figured out their relationship drama before becoming senior ninja mentors. i especially recommend dez's fic Happy, Despite it All for some truly epic ship moments - if you want to skip the explicit fics in the series, that one is pg and can stand on its own.

Red Sun, Autumn Chill (by me n dez) is an au where kakashi and gai are from different ninja villages and end up in an arranged marriage for peace. since it's an au, we spend a lot of time on our fun new backstory and also all of kakashi's problems. (explicit fic)

Lungs Overflowing With Funeral Flowers (by dez) is THE hanahaki fic and really digs into how kakashi thinks about gai early in the naruto series. it's so beautifully written also, i'm obsessed with it

okay!! that's the information i have for you!!! let me know if you have questions and thanks for reading please join us in hell

[trinketfairy]

SQUISHMALLOWS/BUM BUMZ ALTERNATIVE MASTERPOST

After posting my warning on Jazwares for supporting Israel, I've been asked time and time again to make my alternative plushies brands available for non-Twitter users, to which I say "absolutely, fuck that site." It's well overdue at this point, so here's my list of plush brands that are way better than Squishmallows and Bum Bumz!

Unfortunately can't provide images due to Tumblr's image limit, but I'll provide websites for you to search through when available.

Complete list is under a readmore for convenience.

Squishables: If you want that same "kawaii" aesthetic and round shapes, Squishables is your best bet. They're great too because a lot of their plush are designed by fans who are given a cut of their sales. Sign up for their email notifications, they have sales very often!

Amuse/Amufun: If you're really into the "kawaii" aesthetic, then it makes sense to look directly towards Japanese brands! You may know them for their Alpacasso line. It can be expensive to get them imported, but I think they're very much worth it.

Jellycat: I can't say I 100% recommend their newer plush anymore considering their steep decline in quality, but their older plush are still so wonderful and full of character. You're bound to find something by them that you like from their catalogue. (Editor's note: This is what my original thread said, but it seems like Jellycat has improved their quality control, so I feel much better with recommending them again!)

Mary Meyer: If JC is too much out of your price range, then Mary Meyer is what I recommend next to them! Their Marshmallow Zoo line is a huge favourite of mine, I love how full of character they are.

Aurora World: Aurora World has plenty of brands under their belt, so there's bound to be something that tickles your fancy. Brands under the Aurora World company include Palm Pals, Eco Nation, Miyoni, and their baby line, Ebba.

Steiff: Ah yes, the OG teddy bear brand, the one that started it all and is still going strong. Be warned that they can get pretty expensive depending on what you're looking at, but I hear that they're so worth every single penny.

Douglas Cuddle Toys: Probably the quintessential plush brand when it comes to realistic plush, especially cats and dogs, but they have tons of other species available too! Pretty affordable too if you're buying them at retail price

Wild Republic: Another one that does more realistic-looking plush, but I think they have a wider selection of species to choose from. If you're looking for a niche animal, Wild Republic (likely) has you covered!

Shinada Morisaka Global: Another plush brand I have yet to get my hands on, but one that I hear fantastic things about. I mean come on, how can you not love these little guys??

Pokemon Center: Jazwares unfortunately holds the license to make Pokemon plush, but that doesn't mean they're your only option when it comes to Pokeplush! TPC has been making their own Pokeplush for ages now, and they have plenty of different lines to suit your tastes.

Sunlemon: They're expensive to get imported but oh my god are they worth it. The quality is truly umatched compared to American plushies, I adore my tanuki to bits. Please get more eyes on their stuff.

Prime Shiba: Definitely a more expensive option, but I think they're cute plushies for every dog lover. Their stuff often goes on sale often so definitely take advantage of them!

Plushie Dreadfuls: You've probably seen one of their mental illness-themed bunnies before, but have you seen their Pride and Zodiac collections too? They also have many generic-looking plush if the personalization isn't up your alley! Ok so this was in my Twitter thread but apparently since then some shit has gone down with the company CEO making some offhand remarks that got misinterpreted but he acted like an ass in response to it, I recommend doing your own research on it before you buy in case that's not something you wanna support.

StrawbunnyCake: Want to go more small business? Consider supporting a fellow disabled creator, StrawbunnyCake! Their stuff is adorable, and you're sure to fall in love with their characters.

Hannimations: Also on the list of small businesses is Hannimator! Easily best known for their Pride-related Colourful Puppies/Kittens plush lines

Paleoplushies: If you're super into dinosaurs and other preshistoric animals, then Paleoplushies is sure to have something you'll like! They're all handmade by a single artist, so please show them your love and kindness

Cirquell Curiosities: Another great small business to support, most known for their high-end demon goat plushies! A lot of their stuff is one of a kind too, so they're the place to go if you're looking for a unique plush.

Snughouls: The unique and elusive Care Weres line by McMadMissile is sure to win over your heart! It originally started as just being the werewolves, but has since expanded to all kinds of demonic creatures from the Kickstarter! There's even some designs waiting to be funded!

Next are a bunch of brands that weren't personally recommended by me, but get my seal of approval:

AfternoonFika

Creep Cat Toy Co.

Weighted Wildlife

Tasty Peach Studios

Bunnies By The Bay

Snoozimals

Smoko

ChottoBonita

Honeylambs

CraftedCuddlez

Cyborutchi

Fluffnest

MarDeLunaArts (+ on Etsy)

Bellzi

B Softies by B Toys

That's all I have to share, but if you have any other brands you think are worth highlighting then by all means I invite you to reblog with your additions. Please remember that this is a collective effort and we're all counting on each other to act. Keep your head up, don't stop talking about Palestine, and remember to prioritize the official BDS brands list. From the river to the sea 🇵🇸🍉🕊️🫒

[the-fandom-is-now-my-life]

Masterlist

"Masterlist? What is that?"

"it's mostly a record of the writings here, feel welcome to have a look and see if something catches your eye" she turns around and points to the the book detailing where every book or pages should

"last time I updated it was june 21, so it can get a bit behind but usually everything is in here"

"a magical land where people are able to handle elements as they please, a bit too fantastical for my liking but she seems to enjoy writing them"

Tokyo debunker

There is a separate section for this subject, best visit it for the list.

Genshin impact

There is a folder on the table and named with perfect cursive handwriting "Holy offsprings". It seems it's a collection of small works

A bouquet of feelings

Sometimes actions have unexpected consequences. Good thing Aether knows how to fix this one.

Ancient language au

A long forgotten tongue slips away from their lips to the ears of people who believe it's their god's language

Read my lips

"to suddenly be left in a world where I couldn't read anything... Such a torture"

Universal language

After alhaitham found your ability you were almost forced to work for the academia translating works, some misunderstandings arise

Great sage au

A foreign face settles as a country's sage and tries to help, even when it isn't all that easy

Prologue

As a former player the new great sage had a nice base of knowledge to stand on plus some new tools

Such a backstabber

His duty with sumeru has gotten him into a trail leading to you and believes you to be a danger. For some reason the proof he has reminds you of something… wait a minute.

Over tea

Luckily after cyno recognized them as not guilty they were allowed to return to their position and enjoy their new found love for tea. Seemingly the nation's calmness has lead to people allowing themselves to fantasize about their bosses’ love life

Everything feels so beautiful

"this one fits in the timeline but I'm not sure if even the writer knows how or when..."

Secret husband timeline

Be it because of secretiveness or nobody believing it was possible nobody found out about your marriage with the iudex until someone says it straight up. Oops

The first two are two different beginnings

How the iudex sleeps

"why did she choose for him to have a resemblance with otters? Even then it's a really sweet domestic piece"

Melusines say the darndest things

sometimes children can slip up and accidentally say more than desired. In this case the journalists are very happy about that.

Drabbles

Would they peel an orange for you?

"mhmm... I wonder why she chose oranges, I think she likes better pomegranate. Wouldn't it be more fitting 'would they open a pomegranate for you?' but I guess at the end it's the same intention"

Do they know if you wear silver or gold?

"I only ever wear this uniform, I'm not really sure how important that kind of stuff is"

Types of baby daddy

"my father has been a 'baby daddy' many times, including my and my sisters' conception and many of our half siblings. Despicable man. He even runs as fast as the thunders he throws so he is hard to catch"

Your ex in my body or me in their body

"seemingly this question is used to pick a fight with your lover, I'm not sure why would you, though"

Ideas

"some blurbs or unrefined concepts, maybe in the future they can become something more polished"

Npc sagau

"suddenly strangers and your loved ones start acting as mindless zombies and only certain people seem to wake up but you are unable to know when... It sounds stressful doesn't it?"

Living together (npc sagau)

Obey me

"it would make sense for them to live close by the only people you can speak with"

"It's a kind of undefined academic environment in hell? I heard from other visitors that highschool and university are difficult and sometimes unenjoyable but isn't this a bit too on the nose? Either way seemingly she could romance demons, angels and a... Regular human? I'm sure she did not... My goodness"

Night bringer saga

All this happen during night bringer but aren't particularly connected or in a particular timeline!

Love language: acts of service

After being temporarily transformed into a demon you find that there are some gaps in your knowledge of demon features care but Solomon is very happy to help

With the firstborn's ring I made you mine

A before bed chat with Solomon leads to you showing some concerns about wearing the ring of light so openly and he offers himself as a scapegoat

Love language, gift giving

He is old enough and famous enough that he can spend some money on superfluous gift and extra candies as long as you smile at him

The sorcerer's demonic firstborn

Nobody is exempt from Mother nature's cruel whims, not even the all powerful sorcerer that defied death. Some friends of yours help you with your dream

Twisted wonderland

"another fantasy setting that happens in a world where people can use Magic and a school? I'm seeing a pattern with her likings. Just tell me she wrote for a prince or a future king or- it's just a guy with white hair again? No just because he is sleepy doesn't make him different, writer..."

Forced fairytale

The tale of the sleeping beauty is one he holds dear, be it because it's related to his great grandmother or his dorm, malleus can't help but feel like silver and the prefect would be such a perfect modern retelling.

[mullermilkshake]

Suguru's troubles at the club after the clan meeting

Yakuza!Suguru, Hostess!Utahime, Yakuza!Miguel Things unravel further and fingers point to places Suguru never thought was an option.

<- Back to arc masterlist

The Suguru arrived at the club, it was far less dramatic than it appeared once he marched through the doors.

No furniture out of place, the lights were on and the mechanical fixtures twisted and shimmered over the walls like glitter. Just like they were supposed to.

So what stopped the club from opening, and what were those men doing inside that was so secretive, no one knew at the time besides Yuji Itadori?

They did not destroy Suguru's club, or even steal every bottle of alcohol including the top shelf stuff so that the place was dryer than a funeral.

"No money was taken at all?"

Suguru couldn't believe his ears, he came in through the doors prepare for a nights loss gone, but it was far worse than that.

Utahime stood there with a scowl and her arms crossed, "No they didn't, but what they did, you won't be excited about."

"What did they take?"

There were only a handful of things that could cause damage to the club and Suguru dreaded to think. The pit of his stomach twitched and gnawed away at his side, her response wasn't anything good.

"The client list."

"What?" that list was locked away behind two hardened safe doors. "How did they get a hold of that so quickly?"

"We don't know what they used, just that the book is gone as well as all of the add-ons for the other clubs." Utahime's pager went off, she looked down and fiddled with it, cursing to herself.

"Nanami's been buzzing me off the hook- like I actually knew something. I only came in half hour ago and Miguel isn't even here. No one was, Jesus this is a shit show."

So Nanami was still in the dark too? "This isn't good. Taking those records haven't just taken wages and profits. They've taken months of accumulating money these places make."

Whoever it was knew what they were doing right from the get go. And the most sickening thing was, that Nanami nor the entire Ryomen clan knew who had done this.

Sukuna was going to be pissed and the whole ordeal had made Suguru so late for dinner. What a fucking disaster.

"Mr Geto."

"Miguel."

"I came as soon as I found out," he adjusted his rolled shirt sleeves as the doors closed behind him. "I had no idea or I would have been-"

"It's fine. This couldn't have been avoided, as shit as it is. This was meticulously planned down to the letter if they were able to get to the client list."

Miguel shook his head and made his way over next to Utahime. "No one was hurt, right?"

"No," she shook her head. "There was no one on sight- Jesus this guy can page when I don't need it. But try and contact him when he's having his alone time... Sorry boys, I need to get to a pay phone."

Utahime fiddled with her pager and stormed off towards the exit. Suguru wondered who could have had access to that sort of information, a lot of tiles to turn over and examine with great detail.

"Miguel, you're the only one I really trust."

"Sir?"

It was horrid enough inside his head that he'd have to make this request, but Miguel really was the only one who could pull this off and make sure it remained under the table where it belonged as to not throw a spanner in the works.

"There were only a select few who would have knowledge to the whereabouts of the full clientele list. But I feel that has been compromised."

Miguel nodded and leant against the nearest wall. "You want me to find a mole and extract the information, right?"

"That's exactly it."

"Alright then, consider it done," he pushed off of the wall and wandered over towards the bar, taking up a stool. "Oh, you better get home soon, there's nothing more you can do here. Your wife isn't that pleased you're still out."

"Damn," it hadn't slipped his mind, but it did all the same.

There certainly was some making up to do.

And none of this was even Suguru's doing.

<- Prev

-> Next A gold band

[liminalbeans]

MY TOP 20 FAVORITE BEANIE BABIES (LONG POST)

this was a TOUGH list to make, since there are countless wonderful beanie babies out there and I it was hard to narrow it down to just 20. I was originally going to have just a top 10 list but limiting myself to just 10 is just too much to ask. this list isn't ranked or anything, I like all of these equally.

1. Grunt the razorback

I don't even know what it is about this dude that I love so so much, but he's great. Maybe it's because he was one of the first beanies I ever got, but he feels like one of the most beanie baby beanie babies ever, if that makes sense. The bright red color. The simple design and floppy body. The felt details. Yes sir, this is a mighty fine beanie.

2. Goochy the jellyfish

I feel like I legally can't have a "top best beanie" list without goochy. It's just required. I mean come on, it's goochy. Look at his curious, kind eyes. His pleasing pastel ombre colors. His tentacles and frills, perfect for using him as a fidget toy. 10/10, no notes

3. Swirly the snail

Same as with Goochy, I think if I made this list and posted it without Swirly, I would have my account shut down and all my beanie babies confiscated immediately. And I'd 100 percent deserve it, too. I mean LOOK at him.

4. Kaleidescope the cat

Ok, I know I said this wasn't a ranked list and I liked all the beanies on here equally, but...if I had to choose one of them to be my top favorite Beanie Baby ever, I would choose this one. Fuzzy purple nose! 12 different colors and patterns! Cool realistic yellow cat eyes! Perfect shape to hold! A cat! I've never seen a toy have so many different colors and patterns without looking too busy or over designed. The rainbow cheek/side of the head pattern is my favorite of kaleidescope's patterns.

4. Zodiac goat

What can I say, I'm a sucker for bright colors and fun patterns. Something and the gentle smeared rainbow pattern of this goat is so incredibly satisfying to look at, and I like his hooves each being a different color. It also helps that I really like goats.

5. Scorch and magic

Okay okay, this might be cheating a bit, having two beanies as one entry, but it feels wrong not to have these two together. Why do I like these so much? Well first off they're dragons, which already puts them up there with the best of the best, but also the shiny crinkly stuff their wings are made out of is absolutely wonderful to look at and feel.

6. 4-H beanie baby bear

This one is here for mostly personal reasons. You see, I have been involved in 4-H for most of my life, and it has been an amazing experience. I made friends, I gained new life experiences, and did tons of things that I would not have done otherwise. I got jobs through 4-H when I was old enough, and it even influenced which college I went to and what I majored in. So when I learned there was a beanie for it, I knew I had to include it.

7. Cheezer

Cheezer.

8. These clown style birthday bears

Even though I used the picture of the light blue one, this one comes in 12 different colors (one for each month's birthstone) and I don't have a favorite color/month, i just like this line of beanies in general. They have that smeared rainbow fabric that I like (is smeared the right word? Idk how to describe it otherwise) and I like the clown vibes they have going on.

Oh and I just hit the 10 image post limit. This will be continued in a reblog.

[francisjohnpatrickmulcahy]

Okay different poll because I'm confused about canon.

This remains my pinned post, so info and a small DNI under the cut

Hi!

Do your clicks!

Okay, on to business!

My main is @plebeiangoth so you'll probably see that name liking and following you if you see your stuff here. I go by Pleb in social media and fan convention spaces. I've been a fan of MASH since my early teens going back about 20 years at this point. I'm really glad to see so many Mulcahy stans!

Not a lot of original content here, it's as it says on the tin: Father Mulcahy Echochamber. Mostly queued reblogs of whatever I find and want to stuff into the echochamber.

But I did make this silly thing:

Actually we don't need to be mutuals to DM me, in fact feel free to message me about anything. More accurately I think I talk like Chat GPT lol. I'll get better at socializing, I'm working on it lol

Here's a list of tags I regularly maintain

DNI:

Pro-police/war/military, anti-vax/medical, etc. You're probably missing the point of MASH so I don't think you belong here.

TERFs, homophobes, aphobes, anyone who hates me and my gay and trans friends

MAPs/pedos, rapists by any other name

Pro-Isreal

Christian Nationalists, alt right, MAGA, nazi by any other name

If you're under 18:

Also refrain from interaction

This space is not for minors and I will not interact with minors

Just didn't want to put minors in the same category as those listed above. This is for your safety, not mine!

What I post:

Primarily 💚Father Mulcahy💚

Including but not limited to thirst posts and 💚Hawkahy💚

I have no gods and no shame of saying whatever affectionate/appreciative/raunchy things I want about a fictional character who happens to be a priest. If that's a problem, this space isn't for you.

MASH content in general, can't stick to just Mulcahy

Occasional NSFW

Mostly reblogs, not much original content

Literal echochamber

As an atheist and former Christian, please understand that I would never post anything that is intended to be promoting any religion or spiritual ideology.

Okay now I'm done being a buzzkill. As thanks for reading here's my favorite recipe for gluten-free cinnamon rolls. My secret ingredients are 2Tbsp psyllium husk powder in the dry ingredients, and a few cranks of a pepper grinder in the cinnamon-sugar filling!

Hope you have a wonderful day

[prettyb0ycvnt]

Good evening pretty boy! I know you've had a busy day AND felt sleepy but I hope your day has gone smoothly and nicely! I bet you have done soooo good today! Just being the good boy that you always are 💕

Trying to keep that kind of pace would be dangerous! Better to just have it on as a vibe Y'know? Nothing wrong with having a jam while you get your guts rearranged afterall 😉😋

I need to get into listening to more System of a Down and more music in general! It sounds like you have quite the treasury of CDs that will be growing! Feel free to ramble by the way, hearing about people's passions or interests is awesome! 😁💕

And valentine's is a harsh mistress, I can't believe YOU don't have a valentine! That's absolutely crazy! I thought you'd have people flocking to you to be your valentine! 😲 And yep, I am used to it, but it sucks haha. Better to just carry on my way and hope that I don't encounter too many happy couples 🤣 it's a Friday, so I'm just focusing on the fact that it's shoulder day at the gym! 🤣

Talking to you like this is very fun! 💕 I hope you have a wonderful evening and had a wonderful day! 🥰 I look forward to your reply to the more freaky ask, see how you get back with your shenanigans 😘💕

HI!!! good eveninggg <3 it's night time now actually but whatever... today has been wonderful!! djnfjdjghh yes yeahhh i have been sooo so good ,, as usual :33 !! ♡

you're sooo right ☆ would be the best vibes Ever tbh... if not a little eccentric but who cares about that! it's fun!! i'd just have to hope i dont get distracted by the music 😭 !! like Yeass... that feels so good But can you stop for a second please. My favourite part of the song is coming up 💜 that sounds like something i would do ... whoopsies...!

omg... twirls hair it's my time to Shine!!! i loooove music so much omg my spotify is a heavenly place.... i think my music taste is quite varied too!! in terms of system of a down i really reaaally love the entirety of toxicity... i haven't listened to their other albums fully, just as songs here and there, and personal favourites include violent pornography, kill rock 'n' roll, suite-pee, war?, and holy mountains among others!! i need to fully immerse myself in their discography but they're awesome .... slipknot and avenged sevenfold are in the same vein!!! also getting into megadeth because of my irl... so a lot of metal >_< !! my favourite genres are alt rock, midwest emo, grunge, riot grrrl, stuff like that!!! you can pry radiohead out of my cold dead hands....

lately ive been on a car seat headrest kick i swear to god they're all ive been listening to for the past month i LOVE car seat headrest!!!! ive listened to like 80% of their discography in full and Ouughhhh.... they drive me so so soooo insane... i would choose personal favourites but honestly i love them all soooo ill just list some of my faves from the albums ive listened to !!! this is gonna be a long list i hope you don't mind <33

teens of denial

- fill in the blank

- drunk drivers/killer whales

- 1937 state park

- cosmic hero

- THE BALLAD OF THE COSTA CONCORDIA!!!!!!

how to leave town

- the ending of dramamine (!!!!!) (one of my fave csh songs ever i love it so much especially the bridge)

- i want you to know that im awake/i hope that you're asleep (ALSO ONE OF MY FAVES EVER it drives me so fuckign crazy)

- beast monster thing (love isn't love enough)

- you're in love with me

living while starving

honestly this ep is really short so basically all of it??? but in particular

- it's only sex (i die every time I listen)

- i hate living (OUUGHHH....)

- reuse the cels

monomania

- souls (my no.2 song this month!!!!!)

- anchorite (love you very much)

- overexposed (enjoy)

- sleeping with strangers

- los borrachos (i don't have any hope left but the weather is nice)

making a door less open

- can't cool me down

- deadlines (hostile)

- life worth missing

- hollywood

twin fantasy (face to face)

- beach life-in-death

- nervous young inhumans

- bodys

- high to death

- famous prophets (stars)

there's a lot more...!! i have about 60-something of their songs liked on Spotify but i can't list all 60-something >_< !! i really do love them a lot i hope that if you listen you like them too <3 we haven't even scratched the surface of the other artists i like umm... ill just list my current faves !!

aiden's fave artists (some of them!)

☆ car seat headrest

☆ the smiths

☆ mccafferty

☆ the front bottoms

☆ system of a down

☆ modern baseball

☆ sohodolls (!!! gotten super into them lately their music is SOOO cunty I LOVE IT)

☆ my chemical romance

☆ nirvana

☆ radiohead

☆ hole

☆ bikini kill

☆ jack off jill

☆ angelina mango (my Italian queen i love her sm that i memorised a couple of her songs... in Italian...)

honestly i might be better off linking my spotify helpp ummm!! here... ^_^ !! i have a couple public playlists! the big one is 'do yuo have any ibyprofen' and that's got all my faves in it :3 !!

okay. music ramble Over!! for the time being!!! i love yapping they call me yappatron3000 or something . ♡

aiden update he does have a valentine now! kind of. not really. its my best friend 😭 asked her "heyyy wanna be my valentine" nd she says Of Course Darling! so ya there's that xx she has a girlfriend so she's got an actual proper valentine that isn't just me but it's better than nothing :3 !!! love her to bits so its all good... also YEAS gym woooo 🔥🔥 !! get those gains 💪! for me on fridays i have drama club after school so that's what ill be focusing on...!!

i hope you've had a wonderful day today <33 writing out this message has been rhe highlight for me so far genuinely its soooo fun hehe ^_^ !! about to get even better im about to respond to your other ask.. so you can look forward to that too >_< ☆ !!

[gen13ordinaryheroes]

Hi !!! Regarding that recently popular post of yours about female characters always existing to indulge the male protagonist or to get involved in something romantic I COULDN'T AGREE MORE , I don't know if it's bc I'm aromantic but I'm just so tired of getting into a movie, book, series with well written female characters only for the writers to give them some sort of romance that most of the times serves as a weakness , or is there to show that she is indeed human guys look she isn't a bitch who only cares about her work /purpose etc. Like give me a fucking break , women can have other flaws and weaknesses it doesn't always have to be a romance thing . It's almost like female characters can only make mistakes or act flawed only when it comes to romance otherwise they are annoying and problematic. There are so many media comics, books , anime, cartoons with male protagonists that never got them romantically involved and yet they are considered complex and fleshed out characters. GIVE ME FEMALE CHARACTERS LIKE THAT please 🙏. Sorry for my yapping , could you please recommend me some of your favorite media with female protagonists that dont focus on romance . I'll take anything, I'm desperate 😮‍💨

List compiled from checking my back-issues and polling multiple discord servers. Extremely comics-heavy because this is a comics blog.

(*) indicates that I have not personally read/watched/played/etc whatever is listed, so I can't personally vouch for it.

Also, due to the fact that I am not personally familiar with everything listed, I can't provide relevant content warnings. Some of these are significantly heavier than others. Some of these are parts of larger franchises that may not make since without background knowledge.

Comics/Graphic Novels:

Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld (1983), (1985), 1986 one-shot, Amethyst (1987).*

Batgirl (2000)

Batgirl (2009)* (these get separate entries because they're about different characters)

Birds of Prey (1999)* and (2010)*-- some romance, but it's not the focus

"Most Black Widow runs"*

Botticelli's Apprentice by Ursula Murray Husted*

Champions (2018) -- ensemble cast with multiple female characters. Some romantic plots, but not the focus.

Dark Spaces: Good Deeds (2023)

DIE (2018) -- ensemble cast with transfem/genderfluid lead. She is married, but her wife exists mostly off-screen, and romance isn't a major plotpoint.

Exiles (2018) -- team book with female lead, I don't think there's any romance, though characters may reference past romantic entanglements

Gotham Academy (2014)*

Harrow County (2015) -- I don't think there's any romance with the main character

Hawkgirl (2023)*

Huntress (1989) -- some light romance, but it's not the focus.

Lumberjanes* -- there is some romance between the leads, apparently, but the main focus is friendship.

Manhunter (2004)*

Patsy Walker, AKA Hellcat! (2015)*

Powergirl (1988) and (2009)*

Radiant Red (2022)* -- main character has a fiance but I am told this is not a major aspect

Scarlet Witch (2015)

Something is Killing the Children (2019-ongoing)

Unbeatable Squirrel Girl (2015), (2015-2017) -- this does feature some light romance, to memory, but I don't think it's central

Unstoppable Wasp (2017), (2018-2019)* (aspec main character and aspec writer)

Wonder Woman: the Hiketeia

Wonder Woman: Historia

World's Finest (2012)

X-23 (2010), All-New Wolverine (2015), and X-23 (2018)

X-Men (2013) -- almost entirely female cast, no romance

Gwenpool, the character-- I know some of her earlier stuff is rather romance-centered, or at least includes romantic plots, but more recently the character is explicitly aroace, so you might be interested.

Anime/Manga:

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure part 6: Stone Ocean* (some romance, but not the main focus)

Magical Girl Dandelion*

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

"Any Ghibli movie with a female protagonist", Spirited Away*

Witch Hat Atelier

Movies/TV:

Alien

The Descent*

Derry Girls*

Evil Dead (2013)*, and Evil Dead Rise*

Hellraiser*

Video Games (blanket statement: I do not play video games. I am not personally familiar with any of these.)

BloodRayne

Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia

Fatal Fame franchise

Resident Evil 2, 3, Resident Evil 8 DLC: Shadows of Rose, Resident Evil: Revelations 1 & 2, Resident Evil: Code Veronica

Silent Hill 3

Books

Wayfarers series* by Becky Chambers, especially A Closed and Common Orbit, which has 2 female protagonists and 0 romance. Can be read as standalone.

Tamora Pierce's body of work*-- the amount of romance may vary book-to-book.

I hope this is helpful to some extent or another :) -- others are welcome to add their own recommendations in reblogs/comments.

[fishuus]

hi!! Your art is incredible and awesome... not sure how to say it otherwise but it's super tasty looking lol 🫶

I was wondering if you have ever posted what brushes do you use ? I am always on the lookout for nice brushes! Also if you've got any tips for inking, I'd appreciate it enormously. No worries if not! 💕

hi, thanks so much!

i mostly just use whatever defaults came with clip studio paint. for inking, my go-to is the the default marker pen brush (under the marker tab in pens), but sometimes i'll swap to the calligraphy one (should be in the pen tab), or this brush but with the pen pressure turned off. just depends on how i'm feeling about whatever i'm inking. when i want to add some texturing when toning, i use stuff like the spray or diagonal line brushes (again, should be included in CSP), i just make an eraser version of them so i can also use them on layer masks.

as for inking tips ... i don't have any hard and fast "always do x for y" advice but i rambled a little about how i approach it.

this first point is actually pretty straightforward, it's just to look at inking techniques by artists you like, think about what makes them work so well in their context, and try them out for yourself. this isn't about plagiarizing art styles but more about understanding how other artists choose to stylize certain things in their work, and seeing what works and what doesn't for you personally. sometimes it's through looking at other people's stylizations that you get a better understanding of how you want to approach translating this actual 3d object (people, clothes, background details, whatever) into your own art as well. as you try out various techniques, maybe you find that some of them work well with your own style, and some of them don't and you stop incorporating those. it's all a constant work in progress. over time you can adjust how you use them in a way that fits your own drawing methods and workflows and they just start to come more naturally to you. of course, they may and should change a lot along the way because now it's something that's part of your own style. work on developing a good eye for these things and be thoughtful about what you want to convey and how.

just as an example, daiya no ace by terajima yuji definitely has to be up there for me in terms of influences, the way he approached body lines and clothing folds as a way to convey movement and posing made a lightbulb turn on in my head back when i was still reading it.

not a comprehensive list, but other manga i just like looking at off the top of my head - rookies (morita masanori), anything by yamashita tomoko but i really recommend the night beyond the tricornered window for something that's easily accessible, anything by asada nemui (please check for content warnings for their works first though!), all-rounder meguru (endo hiroki), urasawa naoki's works, dungeon meshi (kui ryoko), witch hat atelier (shirahama kamome), yotsuba&! (azuma kiyohiko), a bride's story (mori kaoru), i recollect love (moegi yukue), the later works of tojitsuki hajime (unfortunately a lot of is now out of print and not accessible online but i managed to get all their books bc their commitment to crosshatching shaved heads each time impressed me so much LMAOSJDsd) etc, etc.

this second thing is much vaguer and harder to quantify but ... honestly just draw a lot and see what feels good to your hand. inking and art styles in general are fluid things. so much of what inking comes down to, to me, is just drawing the lines that in a way that feels good to me. that only really comes from doing it a lot (not saying i'm a hardcore artist or anything lol just that i've been drawing on and off for a while now) and, well, getting a sense of what you like doing. sometimes you might look at a detail you finished that looks really good but feels like a happy accident, and it kinda is, but it's also just as much of the things you've internalized over time. combining the first point (developing your eye and a sense of thoughtfulness about inking) and the second (getting experience through developing your muscle memory) is basically it.

idk if any of this made sense lol but hope some of it helps!!!!!

[sugaredrhubarb]

Reading with Ru: 2023 oct/nov/dec fic and book recs

Hello hello! Back again with some final recs from what I was reading towards the end of the year. Gonna start with cod because that's where most of my moots are, and then some from other fandoms and published romance I've been enjoying as well.

Just in case this goes outside my little circle, please check the tags of anything I rec; I'll try to mention if I think something is particularly dark, but don't read anything you won't like!

COD

landscape with honey by @ceilidho - (bear shifter!price x reader) starting with ceil because, at this rate, I can't write a list without including her. my friendship with ceil partially started from bugging her asks about bear price, so this one is always gonna be special, but I genuinely love it, ceil writes blatant dubcon really well (as we all know), but I think it's in fics like this—when the hero is just a little off, and the reader is caught between what seems too good to be true and a gut instinct that something isn't quite right—that her writing really thrives. Anyway, I'm okay with a big, burly man hibernating with me in a cozy cabin in the woods for a winter. (side note: we need to be talking about ghost x feral witch reader more)

Mind the Drop by @sprout-fics - (BDSM au, price x reader) more aftercare in fics!!! This wonderful one-shot is based in a universe where people are biologically designated as dominant or submissive. Reader is a sub who is feeling the effects of some missed aftercare, which Price takes notice of and offers his... assistance. Honestly, this is just some really well-written comfort and aftercare from a fun concept.

My daddy didn't love me, so I guess I've moved on to you by @makoodles - (price x reader) clearly, I was back in my Price era, and this fic hits on the central theme of my attraction to him in the first place: daddy issues :) So, if you may want to read 17k of Reader and Price succumbing to their attraction and mutual daddy kinks, this one is for you.

Light On by @peachesofteal - (ghost x singlemom!reader) I feel like everyone was reading it, but if you haven't checked out this lovely story yet, please do! It's nice to take a break from the darker fic, and this one is so lovely while still acknowledging Simon's trauma and obsession. Peaches is an excellent writer, and this sent me down a rabbit hole of single-parent fics and books! I could read so much of this.

Pornstar!ghost by @ghosts-cyphera - ( x reader) lo is on a little break right now, but this is another wonderful entry on the soft side of cod fic. I really enjoy Ghost's charisma and confidence on display here, and every update had me giggling and kicking my feet. (I found lo through her price wife x 141 post, which is also a must read)

okay, so @ohbo-ohno (hopefully) knows I love her, and she wrote a ton and is constantly throwing out mind-bogglingly yummy drabbles, so here are some of my favs from her kinktober and 1k celebration: price x reader breeding (surprise, surprise), soap x reader somno (drugged noncon), 141 x reader orgy, ghoap ft price deepthroating, 141 x free use reader (the dream), kingpin price x reader, ex husband price x reader, gaz x reader a/b/o, and my personal fav I think about all the time ghoap x brand new vampire reader. Maybe got a little carried away, but I adore Bo's work, and she has a unique ability to make everything hot.

And finally, @charliemwrites. When making this list, I was tempted to just rec everything Charlie has posted in the last few months, so if you aren't reading her stuff already, I'm jealous that you get to experience it for the first time. Obviously, it would be a mistake to not start with her current fics: charmed slasher simon (he's a serial killer, so violence warning) and woof woof johnny, which are both so fun and compelling, I get so excited whenever I see a new update. I almost daily think about this dark(ish) Price decides you're his wife post. Charlie also writes just wonderful fluff and lighter but emotional relationships too, and both childhood friend simon and bodyguard!gaz have a special place in my heart

other fandoms

casualties by little fools writing/tianawritesfic - (darklina) yet another person I could rec every single work by. This is a boyfriend's roommate cheating fic with the perfect amount of mean man.

You kept me like a secret (i kept you like an oath) by burninghoneyatdusk - (darklina) I genuinely think everyone should read this; it's modern setting, so no canon knowledge needed. Alina wakes up after an accident and discovers she's pregnant, but she doesn't remember the last year of her life, doesn't know who the father is, and most importantly, doesn't remember the affair that ended her relationship. I could talk about it for ages, but I'm just gonna share my comment on the last chapter: "every action, line of dialogue, description, and internal thought felt deliberate— not a single word felt wasted. you stripped both aleks and alina bare and it felt impossible to not take them in completely. i don't even know how to talk about the therapy sessions and alina's healing. the exploration of her guilt, her past, her anger, her confusion it all felt so earnest and raw. what a gift to read."

Bury Us Both by morriganmercy - (Lavinia Lucia/Nick Bruin) this is sibling incest! For the love of god, don't read it if it's not your thing. I know nothing about The Royals of Forsyth series (books?), but this was recd by someone, and I saw the tags codependency, slowburn, heavy angst, pining, and religious guilt, and now here we are.

bonus! published romance I enjoyed

links are to goodreads

Return to Monte Carlo by Cate C. Wells - set in 1982, fmc runs away from her stifling life with her rich italian husband and his snobby family before discovering that she's pregnant. fun, smutty, warning for miscommunication galore. i saw some comments about the fmc being immature but she's swept into this crazy life at like ~19 so idk enjoy your smut and stop thinking so much.

Between the Devil and Desire by Lorraine Heath - a widowed duchess must learn to get along with a notorious self made rogue when he is given guardianship of her beloved son. I'm a sucker for historical romances and for single parent stories but the combo is so hard to get right and this one did it for me! while sometimes a little ridiculous, i felt the characters actions had clear motivations. watching the mmc's relationship with the son grow was really nice and it actually made sense given his backstory rather than the sudden "guy who hates kids suddenly cares" trope other books do. (warning for discussions of childhood abuse and sa)

Luna and the Lie by Mariana Zapata - say what you will about MZ slow burns but no one else can get me to read 600 pages for one sex scene at 95% in. are most of her character's really similar? yeah. but they're never annoying and i love that they're always good people trying their best. i love all the small details and i love me an older man who is secretly down horrendously bad only to gets worse and worse at not showing it.

Icebreaker by Hanna Grace - people have things to say about this book. do the characters get together early on? yeah. do they hook up in the back of an uber filled with their friends? also yeah (i thought it was hot so). is their very little plot in a 400 page book? sure. i'm here for a good time not to be intellectually challenged. i actually enjoyed seeing their time together and really enjoyed that they just fucking communicated even if there were mistakes along the way. plus big nice hockey player who cares about consent? swoon my little canadian heart.

check the reading with ru tag for more!

[applesandbannas747]

Hi! I recently came back to your fic Promised Things and I was curious as to what the significance of the house Nicholas had his eye on was? (It’s been a while since I’ve read this story, so please forgive me if is mentioned and that I simply don’t recall it).

My two theories were:

It’s a place he used to live in, or one that his mother always talked about living in.

It’s a house Nicholas fell in love with while browsing for places to live (pre-Seiji), and represents a life that he thought he couldn’t have (on a car mechanic’s paycheck).

Anon I hope to hell you're still out there/see this, I'm so sorry I'm so slow to respond to things lately TT.TT it means so much to me that you thought enough about Promised Things to wonder about stuff and ask!! I love you!!

In answer to your question-- the significance to the house is profound to Nick in the way that it holds no 'real' significance at all. It's not anywhere he used to live or anywhere he'd ever seen before house hunting with Seiji. It was just the sort of house that he might have liked to live in another life. He moved around a lot as a kid, including getting evicted a handful of times, so a house at all represents a sort of permanence he never expected to have. House hunting with Seiji, of course, turned up fancy mansions Nick would never have chosen for himself and rather than representing stability (and the freedom that comes with being financially secure enough to own a house), promised a different type of prison. Something permanent and absolute and opposite to the life he wants. So the nice but not extravagant house that caught his eye was this fantasy from both standpoints in his life--both stability and freedom. Nick closed out of the tab with its listing 'choice' isn't an option for him. Certainly not with Seiji, who turns choice into a bargaining chip. But then Seiji buys them that house anyway, and it's kind of this little lighthouse in the storm for him.

So you got it pretty close with your second theory, it's just that it represented a life he couldn't have post-Seiji either.

Thank you again for reading and reaching out!! 💜💜💜

[no-sabo]

Alexander's Top 10 Games of 2023

#10: Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is landing on my list de panzazo because I didn't play enough of Baldur's Gate to include it. Act 1 gang, rise up!

It's tough trying to find the same hype that I had playing Street Fighter IV on the Xbox 360. I don't think I ever put as much hours trying to get good at a fighting game since and I don't think I ever will. This isn't to say that I don't think 6 is as good. My main thing is that I don't think I'll ever be in that kind of place in my life, or have the same friends with the same free time. Getting older is so wack. Street Fighter 6 is cool as hell, though.

#9: Venba

I think for immigrants Venba's themes are well worn ground. Food is perhaps the most powerful anchor to one's culture. Venba is beautiful, touching, and deeply relatable to me as a first born child of immigrant parents.

Make sure you eat something before jumping into this one. I'm pretty sure I ordered Indian food the day after.

#8: A Space for the Unbound

I don't think there's a game on my list with such a stark difference with the level of enjoyment I had between the narrative and the actual play. At times A Space for the Unbound can be extremely tedious.

A lot of the play involves solving puzzles, usually with a pen and paper at hand. That stuff can be nice, however the brief but constant loading in between areas really strained my patience. There's also empty calories in the form of fetch quests that trip up the pacing.

In the end, once credits rolled, those complaints melted away. It's a gripping fantasy story about community, bullying, domestic abuse, anxiety, and depression wrapped in gorgeous, detailed pixel art. And there's an achievement for petting all the cats.

#7: Hi-Fi Rush

Hi-Fi Rush feels like the remake to a long lost Sega game that they developed for the Xbox during their messy Dreamcast console exit. It's tough for me to describe why it's on here. I think I just genuinely miss this tier of game existing. Like, this game had fucking music from Zwan in it. Zwan.

I don't know, man. It's a vibe. It's really well animated, the characters are bright and goofy, and the rhythm infused third person action combat smacks.

I think this was the first game I completed on my Steam Deck in 2023. Actually, I think it's the first game I beaten front to back on it period?

#6: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

I know it's in to trash the New Super Mario Bros. games but I genuinely never had any strong positive feelings for that first DS game and it only lead to further my resentment for that series. They just made so damn many of them.

Mario Wonder, with its Wile E. the Coyote ass animations is so damn refreshing. I think this is probably the best implementation of the self governed difficulty levels, too. A kid can breeze through a lot of these levels, but being a completionist can get brutal in a satisfying kind of way. It's just so nice to be excited for a 2D Mario game again.

#5: Mediterranea Inferno

Part visual novel, part art-house movie, Mediterranea Inferno takes you on vacation with three Italian twinks trying to move past their Covid-19 lock-down trauma. It's funny at times, but quickly veers into some deeply uncomfortable situations. Also, it can get spooky.

It's an important game, but please heed the content warnings.

#4: Eternights

There's something alluring to me about the Persona Social Link system and any time a game decides to mess with that kind of thing I'm game to give it a shot. Eternights' main sell was "dating action game", so, there it is.

The gist here is there's an apocalypse and your player character gets his arm cut off and replaced with a magical one that can transform into, I think, anything? It's a sword for 98% of the game that you use to kill monsters. It's in third person and for the most part it's an OK action game. You get a skill tree and all that and your buds help you fight, though I think the combat truly shines in the back quarter of the game.

The game's whole thing is that you've got a time limit for when a dungeon has to be completed and you can either choose to progress through it or spend time with your friends, who are mostly female.

Now, to my surprise there is a male character that joins your crew late in game who can serve as a love interest and I was curious to see how that would play out given the homophobia present in the games with which it was inspired by.

The same sex story is, I feel, the most interesting route. It flips the corny harem trope on its head and you get what I believe is the most touching and fulfilling end given that character's relationship to the plot. It's respectful in a way the rest of the game wouldn't suggest it.

At some point in the story your characters are falling from up high and to save everyone the player character turns his arm into a bra parachute because in a quick panic he remembers seeing them on one of the girls in your group. It's childish as hell to be sure, but there's a lot of heart here and I can't wait to see what this one man studio does next.

And I'd like to request for more RPGs to be sub-20 hours like this one. It does wonders for pacing.

#3: Jusant

I kinda' just melted into Jusant. This game is gorgeous and the danger free climbing was so meditative during some really dark and ongoing political unrest. It feels selfish to even say this but it felt good to get home and get lost in something that provided very little consequence.

Fuck Joe Biden and free Palestine.

#2: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk

Sega can keep Jet Set Radio. Team Reptile understood the assignment.

Look, there's a lot you can do to modernize Jet Set and I'm sure Sega's got their top engineers on it but fuck all that. This shit with its simplified graphics runs at 90 FPS on my Steam Deck. It's got all the vibes down and it manages to improve on the mobility and graffiti systems.

Like Hi-Fi Rush I just miss this tier of game but, like, x10 for this specific series. It improves on the concepts of the games that inspired it. I was eating here.

#1: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

I don't think I have the capacity to express what Breathe of the Wild meant to me when I first played that game back in 2017. It's gotta' be my favorite game of all time. At least, it was? Still is? It's a toss up. Both Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild have surprisingly different philosophies and it sort of depends on how I'm feeling. All this to say that Tears of the Kingdom is a genuine master piece.

I'm sitting here trying to think of where to even begin. Is it the physics driven world that doesn't seem to break no matter what nonsense you throw at it? Do I talk about the fact that this is the most touching Zelda story to date? How about how the Colgera boss fight theme smacks? Why does this game look so good off like 2011 hardware?

Tears of the Kingdom embodies play. It begs you to be curious and creative. A sanbox with a capital S. My favorite game of 2023 and favorite game period?

Best Games of 2022 in 2023

2023 was stacked, but I had to make room for some stuff that I missed the previous year. If I do this list again the 2023 in 2024 section is gonna' be a damn mess.

Melatonin

I played Melatonin in December of 2023 and it came out December of 2022. i'm so sad it took me a whole year to check it out.

It's got cozy little Rhythm Heaven-like micro games that take place within an insomniac's melatonin infused dreams. It's dripping in pastels and good vibes.

Each level, or "night", has 4 or 5 stages that you navigate kind of like a Mario overworld. You'll walk to, say, the "Work" stage where it runs you through a brief tutorial. There you get a feel for the song and the beats you need to match with button presses. Once you get through that it begins your real run. Rinse, wash, repeat.

I like it a lot. The visuals are super pleasant and it's really satisfying when you nail those perfectly timed button presses to the beat of the music. I only just started it but felt compelled to throw it on here.

He Fucked the Girl Out of Me

This one's tough to talk about. I feel like I don't need to be taking up oxygen in this conversation.

He Fucked the Girl Out of Me is a short Game Boy game about sex work and trauma. This game isn't enjoyable, but it is profound and important.

Again, please heed the content warnings.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist

If this game had come out in 2023 it would be my number 2.

You begin life on a colony as a 10 year old. You, your parents, and the other colonists escape an Earth on the brink of collapse and crash land on a barely habitable planet. From there you live your life through to adulthood, making choices along the way that affect you, your friends, and the overall colony.

There's a card system that carries a lot of your decision making as a sort of stand in for something like a skill check or a random dice roll. You obtain cards through specific actions and relationships. It's not the greatest mechanic but it's serviceable and feeds well into the gameplay loop.

The game ends when your character turns 20 where your story concludes in one of many different outcomes, but that's not where it stops. The game has a time loop mechanic. You're meant to roll back in on a NG+ and see a lot of the different ways the game could end where you're meant to "fix" mistakes you made in your first playthrough. It works really well and is a core part of the experience.

I binged this game for a whole weekend. I could not put my Steam Deck down. I Was a Teenage Exocolonist is Young Adult fiction at its peak and in a year full of platitudes, "one of my all time favorites" feels like it has very little meaning, but man this one of my all time favorites.

[frischkasekuchen]

Dreamtalia King-Verse Affection Headcanons

(I was thinking about Carrie again, then I got to thinking about how the boys never really get to express their affections or bond with characters because PLOT-HORROR stuff so I'm just gonna write 'em down! What's listed could be interpeted as romantic or platonic (unless stated otherwise).)

Carrie!World-Nicholas Major (V)

This boy's main love language is acts of service.

You have dishes to do when you get home- done! Forgot to throw the laundry to wash- BAM Nick's taking them out the dryer when you go to the basket. You really need to vacuum/sweep/mop but your back hurts? Nick's re-enacting every Ghibli cleaning montage ever!

Smaller acts of affection include referring to you in conversation as : "my love" (if you're dating), "dove", or "my (Y/N)". Yes, it's possessive. He likes letting others know that you choose to associate with him.

Naps with you, he thinks it's safer that way.

If he ever makes you an outfit- it's over bro- you're not leaving him. Something like that is sign of trust and devotion.

IT!Reve-Fauchereve the Dancing Clown (XVIII)

This eldritch horror is TOUCH-STARVED.

With drinking buddies (C!Vanya) he sticks to the arm around the shoulder or the occasional noogie.

If he considers you a part of his brood(children), expect a lotta forehead kisses and being cradled like a damn infant.

If you're a lover, hohoho- he's hanging off of your arm like a trophy wife (because he's the best wife you're ever gonna have ;3 ), kisses you in public (bystanders better be grateful he saves frenching for the bedroom). BIG TIME cuddler, it don't matter if it's BOILING he is GLOMPING you. Likes hugging you from behind and throwing his arms around your neck; nuzzling abound!

Likes singing to you when you're stressed, it has a calming affect (see: eldritch audible sedative-)

If he desires your presence while occupied with an activity (eg. washing dishes, completing schoolwork so long as you're still) he will cling to your leg or lay his head on one of your thighs. Bonus points if you're doing some form of art (drawing, needlepoint, knitting), he will watch attentively and quietly, he enjoys watching the creative process.

Watches you sleep! :D Since he doesn't sleep sans hibernation, he'll protect you from the Other HorrorsTM.

Calls you by nicknames or petnames, some French some old-fashioned.

Speaks to you in Arcane in vulnerable moments (The Funny Kyo Language)

C!Vanya- The Ram (XV)

Sugar daddy.

Not that he has money. But that jacket you saw in the store window that looked real nice in passing thought- yours. That expensive jewelry you saw in Dior's boutique that you couldn't afford- it's yours now...what do mean the 'where's the receipt?' Don't worry about it!

If Vanya can't steal it acquire it, bet your sweet ass that he fashioned you something better, in his colors.

Let him style your hair, please, it's a wonderful de-stressor and he loves making you feel more beautiful whenever he can.

He is #1 hype man on GOD.

Enjoys hearing about your day, vent to him and he'll see what he can help you with.

Likes taking you stargazing.

A big sign of trust from him is singing in front of you. ('I can't sing-' Mikhail: 'BULLSHEET')

What signals true attachment from Vanya is if he gives you a theme song. (e.g plays a song from his radio when you meet up.)

Nick-naming after a bird- no- this isn't up for debate.

All the boys are mad possessive, so they all get to christen you with a nickname-